The Hookup

Strange and funny event this morning. I'm at my local laundrymat doing you know what, when I see a guy with a video camera shooting a couple other guys by the dryers. Actually they were shooting right in front on the dryer with my clothes in it and since my clothes were about finished, I made my way over there.

I couldn't figure out at first what they were shooting. In all, there was a cameraman and another producer/director type giving instructions, and two other guys who I thought were actors, and then one very good-looking guy who turned out to be the host of this reality program.

I was only a few feet away so I listened in on their dialogue. Camera rolls and blonde guy standing near dryer opens the door as if to take out his clothes. Enter host and little Latino guy from outside. Host calls blonde guy's name and introduces him to Latino guy. They shake hands and smile warmly at each other. A few seconds of chit-chat, then host says, "Alright you guys, we're going send you off to a great dinner, on us, and we'll see what happens" Host then looks into camera and says, "Looks like we made another hookup!" and walks off.

The cameraman cuts, and they set up to shoot it again. By this time my clothes are done and I want to get them out before they start to wrinkle. Also I'm on a tight schedule before work. Before the next take, I step in and start to take my clothes out. The blonde guy, who looks vaguely familiar, gives me a warm smile and a wink and says, "Let this guy get his nice things out before they wrinkle." I push my loaded cart out of the shot and they go again.

Again: Camera rolls and blonde guy standing near dryer opens the door as if to take out his clothes. Enter host and little Latino guy from outside. Host calls blonde guy's name and introduces him to Latino guy. They shake hands and smile warmly at each other. A few seconds of chit-chat, then host says, "Alright you guys, we're going send you off to a great dinner, on us, and we'll see what happens" Host then looks into camera and says, "Looks like we made another hookup!" and walks off.

Suddenly, I figured out they were shooting what seems to be a gay dating show!! :-) It's something like Blind Date because the blonde guy doesn't know Latino guy, but Latino guy wants to meet blonde guy and Host is happy to oblige. I think the show may be called "Hookup" because the host was sure to use that expression every time after introducing the guys.

Funniest of all, they shot this 30-second sequence at least 15 times! The two "daters" seemed to be fine and having fun, but the host flubbed his lines several times and then the producer and cameraman argued back and forth (and with Host) about the dialogue in the scene and how it should be shorter and blah, blah, blah. It seriously took them many times shooting the scene before they were satisfied. Blonde guy would occasionally look over at me folding my laundry after a take and smile nervously with raised eyebrows as if to say "whew, showbiz is hard!" or something like that.

Some "reality" show, eh?! I don't even know if these guys were really gay or even on a real date. They seemed like actors to me. Not to mention that Blonde Guy seemed to be flirting with me a bit! (he was pretty cute) After the shoot, the producer/director guy held up his still camera and took some shots of blonde guy in front of the dryers. I don't know what that was for. And cameraman walked around the laundrymat shooting a few seconds of the dryers and washers spinning. I'm sure that's for cutaways or something.

Anyway, be looking for "The Hookup" or some similarly named gay dating show coming soon. You may see Scottydude's cameo -- in the background folding laundry! Check your local listings....